A premium travel credit card can offer tremendous value with benefits that fit with your spending habits, such as statement credits and automatic elite status with hotels or airlines.
Some cards provide flexibility in how you redeem rewards. Travel cards, for instance, may allow you to transfer points or miles directly to multiple loyalty program partners.
1. Amex Platinum
American Express’ Platinum Card is a luxury rewards credit card offering luxury travel perks, such as airport lounge access and hotel credits. TPG valuations estimate its welcome offer is worth at least $1,600; even larger bonuses could apply if your old Amex account counts as new account!
This card comes with a steep annual fee, but frequent travelers will find themselves easily covering it thanks to a generous welcome bonus and array of annual credits. Furthermore, this card provides elite status at various hotels and rental car benefits in addition to travel and purchase protections.
Recent changes to American Express cards include an easier path for earning a welcome bonus and new benefits such as statement credits for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue and up to $200 annually in hotel credits when booking through Amex Travel. Furthermore, American Express recently introduced payment flexibility features enabling larger purchases to be paid off over multiple installments rather than all at once, providing greater control of spending and interest payments.
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers an attractive sign up bonus and travel perks at a relatively reasonable annual fee. According to WalletHub estimates, its 80,000 point sign-up bonus could be worth at least $1,000 when redeemed through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
The card offers cardholders 5 points for every dollar spent when booked through Chase Travel Centers; 3 points on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases (excluding wholesale clubs and Target); 2 points for all other spending; cardholders can redeem their points for cash back or gift cards with values equivalent to one cent each, or transfer them into over a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs.
The card offers several travel benefits, such as primary collision damage waiver on rental cars, trip cancellation and delay coverage and baggage delay reimbursement – plus no foreign transaction fees – making it one of the best mid-range travel credit cards on the market.
3. Barclaycard Arrival Plus
Barclaycard Arrival Plus stands out among international travelers thanks to its generous sign up bonus, 5% travel redemption bonus and no foreign transaction fees. In addition, it provides some travel protection features such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance and secondary rental car collision damage waivers.
The card’s annual fee is $89 (waived the first year), and miles earned through travel can be redeemed for statement credits or cash back. Travel includes airline tickets, hotel stays, motel rooms, timeshare rentals, Airbnb bookings, cruise charges purchased via discount travel websites as well as ground transportation such as trains, buses, ferries taxis or limousines.
Barclaycard Arrival Plus can be an excellent card for travelers who spend significant amounts annually on travel and want to get maximum value out of their rewards. However, if you excel at stretching frequent flyer miles and earning the full value from Chase Sapphire Preferred signup bonuses then other cards may offer better options.
4. Bank of America Travel Rewards
With this card, you’ll earn 1.5 points for every $1 spent – with no expiry. Furthermore, as a Preferred Rewards member each point can be worth 1.25 to 75% more when redeeming for award travel or gift cards; transfers to select hotel and airline partners may also be possible.
This card does not charge an annual fee and offers robust purchase protections. Furthermore, its loose definition of travel allows it to issue statement credits for purchases made at campgrounds, travel agencies or even zoos!
It’s an ideal option for casual travelers who wish to avoid an annual fee but do not travel enough to justify paying one. Points should ideally be redeemed for travel or dining statement credits; cashing them out yields only approximately 0.6 cents in value. Unfortunately, however, frequent travelers won’t benefit as it doesn’t provide extra features like airport lounge access or reimburse the Global Entry application fee.
